Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing

by Dreamcast

Product Details

• ASIN: B00002970O
• Item Weight: 8 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,107 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Editorial Review

This motorcycle racing game, set in pristine outdoor environments, will leave players with a serious need for speed. While the game sports some of the most beautiful environments and intricate riders ever seen in a video game, there is no hint of the "extreme" that the title suggests. The collisions are relatively tame, enabling your bike to glide up fences and other objects instead of crashing or rebounding off of them. Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing features easy driving controls that enable novice riders to take steady curves at high speeds, but players will still need to use the brakes around those hairpins. Turbo boosts are rewarded for reaching checkpoints.

For all of the extreme ambitions of this game, it is still seems to be missing a vital component. The racing environments are designed in a way that fails to convey the speed and realism of an actual race. Rather than rushing by the player, the scenery moves as though it is being dragged toward you. While the speedometer and engine-revving top out at fever pitch, the onscreen visual motion just doesn't match up. Beautiful to behold, but only recommended for nongamer, motorcycle racing fans. --Jeff Young

Pros:

• Great graphics
• New features unlock as you advance through the game
• Solid controls

Cons:

• Racing environments fail to convey speed

GameSpot Review

[Editor's note: Ubi Soft reports that the US version of Redline Racer will receive an improved soundtrack, better graphics, tighter AI, and two additional tracks, and the Suzuki license. It'll run under the name Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing.]

If you tried to imagine all the companies that would publish a motorcycle racing game on the Dreamcast, you would be forgiven for not thinking of Imagineer. Taking Criterion's PC racer, titled Redline Racer, and porting it to the Dreamcast, Imagineer has beaten the likes of Sega to the punch with a racer eerily reminiscent of EA's MotoRacer. Sadly, Redline Racer does little to distinguish itself from any other racing game out there.

Reason one: The game is bland. It's similar to Sega Rally in that you slowly access additional tracks by beating sets of races, three at a time, with the goal of being at the top of the ranks, pointwise, by the end of the third race. The tracks themselves vary from mountainous valleys (remarkably similar to Manx TT's opening track), to cavernous desert settings and snow-covered courses. However, the problems don't stop with mere blandness. Reason two for Redline Racer's mediocrity: poor control. While the game doesn't feel nearly as twitchy as most motorcycle racing games, despite the analog control, the control is almost too unresponsive to be of any use on some tracks. While the analog action might feel great on some of the wide-open tracks, it feels completely inappropriate for the more serpentine courses - unless, of course, you're willing to crawl around the tracks with the brakes on half the time. If you don't subscribe to these methods, I wish you good luck navigating the track and then the curb. your motorcycle (and driver) drive up the side of a mountain before spilling far off in the distance (Road Rash style). Considering the difficulty controlling your bike in the hairpins, it is unreasonable that the tracks cause you to fly off your cycle so often. There is also a nitro button to give you a Moto Racer-style speed boost, but you won't find many places to apply this feature, as the straight-aways are few and far between. Hit the nitro in a curvy spot, and that pretty much guarantees you'll smear yourself all over the street.

Another thing that saps the joy out of Redline Racer is the lack of any official motorcycle licenses. Not being able to pick your favorite manufacturers feels like playing a baseball game without being able to pick your specific teams. Sure, there are a good selection of motorcycles, all with different attributes, and different racing teams with assorted uniforms, but the overall sensation lacks that real-world authenticity. This factor is the third reason Redline Racer isn't very good. Reason four, and this is probably the most important factor weighing against the game, is that the game does not give you a convincing sense of speed. Aside from the unrealistic motorcycle sounds (think of an electric razor or a motorized skateboard, and you're halfway there), the lack of a true sense of speed is the biggest problem here. While not every racer has to move as fast as, say, Star Wars Racer, Redline feels more like a pack of Vespas sashaying around the tracks. A big minus if there ever was one.

That's not to say it's all bad. The graphics are solid enough, with nice light sourcing (the horrible headlight effects being the exception), good-looking tracks, and not too much pop-up (although some tracks can be awfully dark). The wheels and other objects can be a little blocky, but otherwise, the visuals look a lot like Moto Racer, with an obviously higher polygon count and less pixelation. The frame rate also maintains a consistent 30fps, and the riders themselves have numerous animations, which are evident when you lean into corners, bump into other riders, or hit the nitro button. As stated before, the sound is often negligible and often just inappropriate. While the cycle sounds are never remotely authentic, the sounds that trigger every time you pass a checkpoint, for example, are way too "cyber" for a game like this. Perhaps these sounds would be better suited to Criterion's upcoming racer, Trick Style, but they're definitely out of place here.

As it is, Redline Racer isn't a horrible game, it's just lackluster in too many places. While this might have passed as OK on the PC, it just plain disappoints on a console where mediocre racers are a dime a dozen. While the inside scoop suggests that Ubi Soft is looking into acquiring an official manufacturer's license for the American release, hands-on experience with the game suggests that the game might need more than just that. A severe tune-up is in order, lest this game simply be viewed as another cheap PC cash-in - something the Dreamcast definitely doesn't need in its fledgling library. The mind wanders, instead, to a perfect port of AM3's Manx TT or even Sega's Road Rash-esque Motor Raid. As it stands, you'd be better advised to borrow your friend's copy of this one. --James Mielke
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Suzuki Alstare Surprises Fans, November 25, 1999

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing (Video Game)

This game has had some bad reviews from online editors. However much to my delight it was well worth the money I paid to rent it. The main complaints on the game are ones that you can forgive, especially if you have any intrest in games such as Road Rash. This Game is a SIMULATION not an arcade Motorcycle game that you can run head on into a wall and miraculously not wreck. It has very good handling, but you have to take the time to get used to it. So if you are looking for a challenging game I recommend Suzuki Alstare, but only if you are willing to take the time to learn the controls.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Faster than anything!, April 13, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing (Video Game)

This game is more fun than anything! It's the best racing game I've played because if you're willing to practice you can go far. There's also a reverse challenge and I'm on the next to last level of that...it's been a blast getting that far. Choose the name of your racer wisely. Mindset is very important when you're forced to react as quickly as the higher levels require.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good racing sim., January 20, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing (Video Game)

People complain about the handling in this game, probably because it tends to be more realistic. In order to do well (especially on the more difficult tracks), you have to know when you need to decelerate or brake. Same goes for the speed burst - do it too soon, and you'll power-wheelie yourself flat on your back. Once you get the hang of it, though, the game is addictive. There are a few sections when a well-timed Nitro burts sends you flying, and it's a rush to see the ground slipping away below you. Makes me want to see the McGrath supercross game even more. If you're having a hard time with this one, be patient. Slow down heading into big turns and accelerate as you round the bend - you'll be amazed how tightly you can corner. Take your time, this game is worth it.